Blue Wing Complex roundup

The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released its Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program (CAWP) Assessment of the Blue Wing Complex roundup – and yet again, the agency is turning a blind eye to wild horse and burro abuse.

Despite the horrific incident our humane observers captured on video in which a BLM contractor brutally kicked and punched a collapsed wild horse, the BLM gave the operation a CAWP score of “excellent.”

This CAWP report clearly flies in the face of the reality of what’s been happening on the ground at wild horse roundups. In addition to the abuse our observers documented, the operation has also resulted in the shocking deaths of 42 animals so far, making it the deadliest roundup of Fiscal Year 2024.

The BLM conducted the assessment on July 18th and 19th, approximately a week before the documented abuse took place. However, despite acknowledging the abuse on its Facebook page, the BLM neglected to amend the CAWP report or deploy a second CAWP team to conduct a follow-up assessment.

It’s clear that had it not been for the presence of our humane observers at the roundup who were able to document the cruelty this horse was subjected to, the BLM would have never brought this abuse to light.

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That’s why AWHC intends to continue fighting for this horse and all the other horses and burros who are chased by helicopters into traps, separated from all they hold dear — family and freedom. We pledge to continue serving as the boots on the ground at these inhumane roundups to ensure no incidents of abuse like this are swept under the rug.

The summer roundup season is still in full swing and AWHC has observers on the ground right now. Please help us keep them in the field by supporting our work fighting for transparency and accountability at federal roundups. 

Thank you,

American Wild Horse Conservation